Leucanthemum plant named &#39;Barleuswechr&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Leucanthemum  plant named ‘Barleuswechr’, characterized by its compact, upright and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; strong and upright flowering stems; early and freely flowering habit; and large single inflorescences with white-colored ray florets.

Botanical designation: Leucanthemum×superbum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘BARLEUSWECHR’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Leucanthemum plant, botanically known as Leucanthemum×superbum and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Barleuswechr’.

The new Leucanthemum plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact Leucanthemum plants with numerous attractive inflorescences.

The new Leucanthemum plant originated from a cross-pollination in June, 2013 of a proprietary selection of Leucanthemum×superbum identified as code number LC-0008, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Leucanthemum×superbum identified as code number LC-0003, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Leucanthemum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands in February, 2014.

Asexual reproduction of the new Leucanthemum plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands, since March, 2014 has shown that the unique features of this new Leucanthemum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Leucanthemum have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Barleuswechr’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Barleuswechr’ as a new and distinct Leucanthemum plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Strong and upright flowering stems.     -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Large single inflorescences with white-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Leucanthemum differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Leucanthemum are more freely branching than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Leucanthemum are more freely flowering than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   3. Inflorescences of plants of the new Leucanthemum have fewer         ray florets than inflorescences of plants of the female parent         selection.

Plants of the new Leucanthemum differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Leucanthemum are more compact than plants         of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Leucanthemum are more freely branching than         plants of the male parent selection.     -   3 Plants of the new Leucanthemum have larger inflorescences than         plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Leucanthemum can be compared to plants of Leucanthemum×superbum ‘Victorian Secret’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,654. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Leucanthemum differ from plants of ‘Victorian Secret’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Leucanthemum are shorter than plants of         ‘Victorian Secret’.     -   2. Plants of the new Leucanthemum are more freely branching than         plants of ‘Victorian Secret’.     -   3. Plants of the new Leucanthemum are more freely flowering than         plants of ‘Victorian Secret’.     -   4. Inflorescences of plants of the new Leucanthemum have fewer         ray florets than inflorescences of plants of ‘Victorian Secret’.     -   5. Inflorescences of plants of the new Leucanthemum have more         disc florets than inflorescences of plants of ‘Victorian         Secret’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Leucanthemum plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Leucanthemum plant. The photograph is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Barleuswechr’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in 13-cm containers during the early summer in a glass-covered greenhouse in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Leucanthemum production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 21° C. and night temperatures averaged 16° C. Plants were pinched one time and were three months old when the photograph and four months old when the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Leucanthemum×superbum ‘Barleuswechr’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Leucanthemum×superbum identified as code number LC-0008, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Leucanthemum×superbum identified as code number LC-0003, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About twelve days at             temperatures about 26° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two weeks at             temperatures about 23° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About two             weeks at temperatures about 23° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 16 days             at temperatures about 18° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically             white in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on             substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and             formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of             roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching, medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; compact,             upright and mounded plant habit; vigorous growth habit;             freely branching habit with about 15 to 20 primary branches             each with about three secondary branches developing per             plant.         -   Plant height.—About 35 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 45 cm.         -   Branch description.—Length: About 35 cm. Diameter: About             1.5 mm. Internode length: About 2 cm. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Sparsely pubescent. Luster: Semi-glossy. Color:             Close to 145A.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple;             occasionally sessile. Length: About 15 cm. Width: About             3.5 cm. Shape: Roughly spatulate. Apex: Obtuse. Base:             Attenuate. Margin: Serrate. Texture and luster, upper             surface: Pubescent; matte. Texture and luster, lower             surface: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Venation pattern:             Prominent midvein; reticulate. Color: Developing leaves,             upper surface: Close to 137A. Developing leaves, lower             surface: Close to 137C. Fully developed leaves, upper             surface: Close to 137A; venation, close to 145B. Fully             developed leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C; venation,             close to 145B. Petioles: Length: About 9 cm. Diameter: About             5 mm. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous; matte. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             145B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Single inflorescence form with recurving ray             florets and tubular disc florets; inflorescences held             upright on strong peduncles, inflorescences face mostly             upright; ray and disc florets develop acropetally on a             capitulum.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering response.—Plants begin flowering about twelve             weeks after planting; plants flower naturally during June             and July in The Netherlands.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good             substance for about six to eight weeks on the plant;             inflorescences persistent.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering habit, about 52             inflorescences develop per plant during the flowering             season.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 15 cm. Depth (height):             About 3.5 cm. Disc diameter: About 2.5 cm.         -   Receptacles.—Height: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 cm.             Color: Close to 6A.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 8mm. Diameter: About             1.4 cm. Shape: Flattened sphere. Color: Close to 138B.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 46 arranged             in about two whorls. Length: About 3.3 cm. Width: About             6 mm. Shape: Ligulate to oblanceolate. Apex: Emarginate.             Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Aspect: Horizontal to             recurved. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: When opening, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 155D; towards the base, close to             144B. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 155D;             towards the base, close to 144B; color does not change with             development.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 350 massed             at the center of the receptacle. Length: About 7 mm.             Diameter: About 1 mm. Shape: Short, fused tubular. Apex:             Acute, five-pointed. Texture and luster, inner and outer             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; lustrous. Color: When opening,             inner surface: Close to 144A. When opening, outer surface:             Close to 14A. Fully opened, inner surface: Close to 14A;             color does not change with development. Fully opened, outer             surface: Close to 14A; color becoming close to 144A with             development.         -   Involucral bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 40             arranged in about three whorls. Length: About 9 mm. Width:             About 3 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Fused,             truncate. Margin: Entire, membraneous. Texture and luster,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; lustrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 137B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 19 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright to about 30° from             vertical. Texture and luster: Pubescent; matte. Color: Close             to 137D.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Quantity per floret: Five per disc floret. Filament             length: About 2 mm. Filament color: Close to 14A. Anther             shape: Oblong. Anther color: Close to 23A. Pollen amount:             Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 23A. Gynoecium: Present on             ray and disc florets. Quantity per floret: One. Pistil             length: About 4 mm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma             diameter: Close to 1 mm. Stigma color: Close to 10C. Style             length: About 3 mm. Style color: Close to 2D. Ovary color:             Close to 143C.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production have not been             observed on plants of the new Leucanthemum. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Leucanthemum have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Leucanthemum plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Leucanthemum have been     observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate wind and     rain, to tolerate temperatures ranging from −15° C. to 35° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Leucanthemum plant named ‘Barleuswechr’ as illustrated and described. 